It is quite a bit more than Rowan – Rowan is a RN to BSN, so for 3 years you go to CC, get your RN and then do the RN-BSN the last year. Rutgers Camden is a direct entry 4 yr BSN right outside Philadelphia.
If it will give her a leg up to have the Rutgers diploma and/or to have the clinicals from the large Philly healthcare facilities, we are willing to pay the extra. Trying to figure out if it is worth it or not.
She can live at home either way and move to an apartment later either way if she wishes.
My biggest concern about Rowan is it SEEMS more geared to the RN to BSN program than a 4 year. Maybe that is ok, but I am not sure.
If they don’t require a decision right now, take some time and spend it at each college, and try to connect with some current nursing students or recent grads. In general, as long as the nursing program provides quality nursing instruction and clinicals, and properly prepares you for the certification test, the name of the university won’t matter a great deal.
From a social point of view, it is nice to attend the same college for 4 years.
Thanks-- one thing I found is that Rutgers Camden has a 95% pass rate on the NCLEX exam and I have been unable to find that measure so far for Rowan. I agree about the 4 years. I know she thinks she doesn’t WANT to leave home today, but I am wondering when she gets into it more if she may want to get an apartment with other nursing students. If she does Rowan, then she is home for 3 years no matter what.
http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/nur/Pages/NCLEX-RN.aspx
New Jersey pass rates. You should look at more than one year.
@Charliesch Thanks so much! Very helpful-- both schools have good passing rates.
If the passing rates are similar, I’d tend to be inclined to go the Rowan route. Now that the surrounding CC’s are part of the Rowan system, you might have a choice about which to attend if one seems more appealing than another. My oldest D took a class at Rowan in the sciences and liked it. Lots of friends’ children go as well.
I don’t know Camden very well but I do some volunteering in the areas not far from Rutgers and it wouldn’t be my first choice to send a child for four years. I know people who did UG and law school there and never mentioned problems. But one friend wound up driving her D into Camden for a program near Rutgers because her D became very nervous driving alone there after she and her classmates witnessed crimes while driving in and out.
I think everyone’s comfort level is different. And I made choices when I was younger that I feel different about now. Living in a high crime area for awhile burned me out.
There is no doubt the area just out of campus can be sketchy-- we don’t live far outside the city ourselves. We just signed up for an open house. I have not been able to find much information about Clinicals at Rowan or who the clinical partners are-- D wants to go trauma route eventually. She is taking the EMT course and already volunteers as an EMT cadet.
We did find a website that shows which NJ colleges take transfer credit. D’s HS allows her to do college in the afternoon senior year and either school will take the credits so that is good news and gives us time to visit and consider.
I’m guessing the clinicals would be closer in Camden than at Rowan, but those are questions to ask. Clinicals often start early in the morning, so a long drive on a cold morning could be a bummer.
I would look into Rowan more before you make a decision It seems to be for current RNs. The courses are online or a hybrid. Also, I don’t think either would have clinicals out of state.
@MomOf3DDs I thought that too-- the BCC site shows it as a 3 plus one, but I agree it is clearly not a traditional 4 year program
Yes, Rowan is apparently tied into a community college nursing program. That is becoming more common. For instance, in northeastern PA., Luzerne Community College started partnering with King’s University to provide a BSN. The College of Health Sciences in Lancaster PA partners with Millersville University to provide a BSN.
@Charliesch What I am not sure is if that is better, worse or neutral (just different) with a more traditional 4 year program… 
Typically it’s better to take the direct entry college, because so many who go through RN-BSN route are blocked when they want to transfer to the bsn level. Check whether admission to the BSN part is automatic, requires specific grades but isn’t restricted, or only has a limited number of places.
If it’s automatic, I’d go with the Rowan program. If it’s competitive with a limiting number of places, I’d take the Camden deal. If it’s ‘automatic if certain grades are obtained’ then you have to think of the odds she may or may not make them, how strong a student she is.
Technically even direct admit are “automatic if certain grades are obtained.” All of the schools DD has applied to have grade conditions to move on and you can be removed from the program if you don’t reach the necessary grades so many times. Nursing can be a scary beast!
Yes, at most direct admit programs, you do need a minimum GPA to continue in the nursing program. They also may say that you cannot take a class more than twice, if you drop out the first time.
However, there is a big difference from knowing in advance that you must maintain a 2.8 or whatever vs. possibly needing a 3.8 to get into some competitive 2 plus 2 programs. Look for the details at whatever program a person is considering.